The 3-2 UCF Knights came into town to take on the 4-1 Bearcats. The Bearcats, fresh off a big 38-30 win against Iowa State, looked to continue their win streak and work toward a ranking in the AP poll.
The Bearcats were first to score with a four-play 59-yard drive that only took a minute and a half. Sorsby threw a 40-yard pass to Jeff Caldwell for the touchdown. Cincinnati’s defense continued its dominance as Linebacker Brian Simms knocked the ball out of UCF Wide Receiver DJ Black’s hands and Jiquan Sanks recovered.
Cincinnati started the second quarter with a nine-play touchdown drive heavily featuring Running Back Evan Pryor. Tight End Joe Royer then ended up with a catch before Sorsby found Caldwell again in the end zone.
With one field goal each to add to the score, the Bearcats led 17-3 at the half. Things took a turn in the third quarter which featured nothing but turnovers.
The fourth quarter kicked off with a crazy drive. A short pass to Royer, who exploded for 67 yards, put the Bearcats at the UCF nine-yard line. On a third and goal, Sorsby was tripped up and fumbled the ball to himself. The Bearcats took the field goal, but it was an unfortunate end to an otherwise great drive.
UCF scored its first touchdown of the game with about two minutes left in the game and tacked on a two-point conversion. The Bearcats ultimately won 20-11 and improved to a 5-1 record.
The offense was quieter than it had been over the past few weeks. Brendan Sorsby was 12/21 with 191 yards and twp touchdowns. Jeff Caldwell is proving week after week that he is a legitimate target.
The defense held this game together, not allowing UCF to score a touchdown until the final minutes of the game. While UCF was missing a lot of offensive weapons due to injuries, the defense forced a fumble and had two sacks.
As of Sunday, the Bearcats are ranked #24 in the AP Poll, sandwiched between #23 Utah and #25 Nebraska.
The remaining schedule is a tough one. The Bearcats venture to Oklahoma State this Saturday for a night game. After that, they still have #23 Utah and #15 BYU on their schedule.
Coach Satterfield has done a great job with the team this year, but a real test is coming on how the Bearcats will operate in the pressure of the national spotlight.
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